Why you should stay away from social media like the plague and avoid a social media crisis

The internet is a war-zone and to avoid a social media crisis, stay as far away from it as possible. Unless you have the know-how to face the the music!

Kitchenaid vs. Obama’s Grandmother

Oh yes, this is actually as absurd as it sounds. Basically, Kitchenaid’s social media manager forgot to switch to his own private account and made a rather distasteful comment about Obama’s Grandmother, expressing his private opinion on Obama’s regime.

A social media crisis that could’ve been easily avoided if accounts were separated on different devices, even tho having multiple accounts on the same device is comfortable.

There are many other examples you can find online, but I will stop here.

Keep calm and sum it up

Don’t let your feelings get the best of you, always remain calm and respond with a positive attitude.

Make sure you understand the situation perfectly and gather all info available before responding. The internet doesn’t forget.

Understand that a client contacting you online wants answers and solutions, not homework. Try to resolve his problems contacting the right people for him, and do not tell him to send emails or make phone calls.

See that all information that goes public is always monitored by someone and look out for discrepancies or mistakes.

In case of a malfunction-type crisis, make sure your clients have a place to go for info about the problem, like an informative landing page or a dedicated Twitter or Facebook assistance account.

Respect is fundamental, show your clients that their problem is important to you to resolve and give it a high priority. Remember that a resolved issue of a pissed-off social media user can turn him into a brand advocate!

Got any experience with a social media crisis or mishaps? Share them with us in the comment section.

Want more info about preparing your team for a social media crisis? Contact me for a private session!